Lehigh County News

Monsignor John P. Murphy headed St. Thomas More Church in Allentown for more than 40 years. He died Friday at age 86, according to the Diocese of Allentown.

Lehigh County Courthouse is expected to reopen a week after fire sprinklers damaged the building's electrical system Tuesday night.

The South Whitehall Board of Commissioners is seeking applications to fill a vacant seat. The current commissioners will conduct public interviews with applicants at a special meeting on Dec. 28, then vote to appoint one of them.

The Upper Macungie Planning Commission reviewed a sketch plan for renovations and expansions to Trexler Travel Center on 5829 Tilghman St.

It might seem counterintuitive, but harvesting holiday trees year after year is better for the environment than using an artificial one, experts said, especially amid the proliferation of plastic piling up in landfills.

The new position will appear on the ballot in 2025. The Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas had one of the higher caseloads for counties of its size.

Officials on Wednesday reviewed several preliminary transportation policy strategies for the Valley's priority climate action plan. The plan’s focus is to reduce carbon emissions from transportation, a significant driver of greenhouse gas emissions across the region.

More than three dozen projects in the Valley were awarded grants, receiving about 7% of the total funding awarded. Statewide, $335 million in grants were announced Wednesday.

KidsPeace, which provides behavioral and mental health services to children, collected about 1,400 toys for its 12th annual Angel Tree holiday gift drive.

All but one township zoning amendment application were reviewed without issue by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Comprehensive Planning Committee on Tuesday afternoon.

Local state lawmakers are reacting to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s call for $1 billion in new public education spending for the state’s students and schools.

Candidates filed petitions ahead of Tuesday's deadline to appear on primary ballots in Lehigh and Northampton counties.

The first of the five championship events at Saucon Valley will be the 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur, followed by the 2032 U.S. Senior Open, 2038 U.S. Women’s Amateur, the 2042 U.S. Senior Open, and the 2051 U.S. Amateur. The U.S. Women's Amateur event will be a first for the club.

Michael Blichar Jr. will run as a Democrat in this year's race for at-large Lehigh County commissioner seats.

North Whitehall supervisors on Monday approved the proposed design of a renovation to the township municipal building that now is expected to cost more than $5 million.

Chris Pirrotta, a father of three children who attend Parkland schools, announced his campaign for a seat on the Parkland School Board.

Board Director Phoebe Harris blasted the board leadership's lack of transparency in a radio interview.

Don Snyder represented parts of Lehigh County for 20 years in the Pennsylvania House before serving as the leader of Lehigh Carbon Community College. Those who worked with him say he was known for his team-building and inclusiveness. He died at age 71.

Industry experts say it’s not a question of if, but when Trader Joe’s will open a Lehigh Valley store.

In an exclusive interview attended by LehighValleyNews.com premium members, former U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent said Republican congressional leaders needed to play hardball with the party's right wing.

Groups that represent the district's majority-minority population are crying foul over what they describe as a lack of transparency and involvement in the process of identifying a new leader.

The 5% sewer discount is no longer an option because the township will soon charge residents based on their sewer usage rather than a flat rate.